246 Mr Scott Elliot 07i the 



eastward direction, the region of summer rain, the character- 

 istic Proteacete, Diosmece, &c., disappear, and the 350 species 

 of Erica dwindle down to about 23 species. Moreover, 

 grasses, instead of being few and far between, become 

 abundant both in species and individuals. 



Even if one ascends to the tops of the mountains the 

 vegetation is quite different. Thus, while on the flanks 

 of Table Mountain such conditions as I have described 

 prevail, when one ascends to the top the general appearance 

 of the plants changes. This follows from the fact that 

 the climate on the top of the mountain is very different. A 

 greater quantity of rain falls, and besides this, there are 

 frequently at all seasons heavy mists which keep the plants 

 from being dried up.* 



I have often noticed that the commonest form of the plants 

 growing on the summits is quite different from that found 

 lower down. Perhaps it is best described as the Hieracium 

 type. It is distinguished by crowded radical leaves and long 

 branched peduncles. This type, however, is so common gener- 

 ally, even in England, that I should not speak of it as charac- 

 teristic, were it not so strikingly absent on the lower slopes, 

 except in moist places. Many species of Senecio and Heli- 

 clirysum take on this form, and I found in both these genera 

 so much variation with habitat in this respect (namely, the 

 way in which the leaves varied from being all radical or 

 more or less scattered along the peduncle) that it seemed to 

 me culture-experiments would be necessary to make many of 

 the species absolutely certain. Perhaps the Alepideas and the 

 vast numbers of Orchids and Irids show the tendency to this 

 form best. 



The most marked feature of the summit flora is the quantity 

 of bulbou.s plants. A new series of gorgeous liliaceous and 

 iridaceous plants springs up every month during the flowering- 

 season. The theory of Mr Eomanes again explains the extreme 

 variety of these bulbs. The majority are marked by a very 

 short flowering season indeed. Some particular spot will be 

 covered by some species of Morea or Geissorhiza one day, and 

 three days afterwards not one will be seen. Now, as bulbs 

 appear to flower exactly after a definite amount of assimila- 

 tion has been performed and moisture absorbed, it is easy 



* See ante, p. 241, in note. 



